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You may have noticed the ABS light on your car’s dashboard…usually, it just lights up briefly as part of the bulb check after starting the engine, then goes out again. ABS stands for Antilock Braking System; ABS systems have been common since the early 90s. At Elk Grove Tire Pros, we sometimes get questions about the ABS light as part of brake repair, so here’s a brief explanation.

During a hard braking situation or panic stop, the last thing you want is for any of your wheels to lock up and cause a dangerous skid. ABS was developed in the early 50s as an anti-skid safeguard for aircraft braking systems. ABS features a network of speed sensors at each wheel on the car, which all send information back to a processor under the hood. The processor then meters braking force through a system of pumps and valves. While braking, if the sensors detect one wheel that is slowing down more than the others and may be on the verge of locking up and causing a skid, the processor will alter the amount of braking pressure to that wheel and ensure that the braking effort to all wheels stays uniform.

Since the 2012 model year, electronic stability control (ESC) has become mandatory on new model cars in the US. ESC works with the car’s ABS system to help drivers maintain control of their vehicles. It uses the wheel speed sensors along with sensors that monitor yaw (the axis around which a spin would occur), steering angle and lateral forces.

If a driver were to suddenly swerve to avoid a raccoon at highway speed, the front tires wouldn’t be able to gain traction immediately, causing the car to understeer. ESC would detect the difference between the steering angle and the car’s actual direction during the maneuver, and would proportion braking force to prevent understeer and keep a skid from occurring. It can also send a message to the engine control computer to reduce engine power and throttle response to prevent the vehicle from overreacting.

ESC and ABS, in turn, are tied in to traction control as well. If a vehicle is on ice, wet pavement or mud, the wheel that is getting less traction will naturally tend to spin. Traction control uses ABS’s wheel speed sensors to detect when this happens, and will cut power from the engine to prevent it and help gain more traction.  

Is your ABS light illuminated? Like with your Check Engine light, an illuminated ABS lamp means that a trouble code has been registered in the processor, causing the lamp to alert the driver.

On today’s cars, maintenance and checks of the ABS system are a mandatory part of brake repair. These advances have made auto repair and brake repair more complex, but they’ve also made today’s cars mush safer compared to vehicles from a generation ago. If you’re in need of brake repair or ABS service, you’ve come to the right place with Elk Grove Tire Pros in Elk Grove, CA – make an appointment with us today!